Fighting Maturity

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"Bye! Nice meeting you!", Nana called out from the balcony waving to the backs the departing guests. Nice people, he thought. He couldn't remember when last he had enjoyed a visit so much." That went well, didn't it? " he asked Nani who had started to gather the teacups from the table. '" Yes, nice people. Too bad they had a wasted trip.Coming all the way from Bhusaval.."Nani said criptically. She never criticised her husband's schemes, and rather found them amusing. But lately he was getting more and more tiresome.

Nana looked a little abashed. " Maybe, but we gave them a good tea and great time, didn't we?!""But to call them all the way from Bhusaval... where ever that is, is nothing short of cheating!" Nani protested." Cheating ? We didn't cheat anybody! " " Yes we did." Nani pressed on vehemently. " We are running a scam and someday , someone will find out and expose it for what it is…

We live in a senior citizen's village. Don't confuse it with the homes for old and unwanted people. These are affluent people who, after living a full active life wish to live an independent old age.

This is a gated community where outsiders are not allowed. Neat streets and lanes, most negotiable in a wheelchair if needed. Parking lots, and facilities. There are golf greens but I have yet to visit that. Three large club houses equipped with gym, swimming pool etc. And to my delight- a fabulous library and all this free of charge.

We see all kinds of vehicles on the roads, cars of different descriptions, mostly sedans, to golf carts which many use as vehicles inside the gates. People are seen going around on foot, walkers are seen any time of the day. But all these people have cheerful faces, neatly made up. Club houses regularly have entertainment programs and citizens attend these in great numbers. I attended one such program recently. I could see them all women decked up,…

My impressions of Dubai airport are blurred thanks to a fast moving airport cart with me sitting backwards. I am uncomfortable sitting facing backwards in any vehicle. One always likes to see where one is going. Sitting with our back to the driver is kind of heading into the unknown and we see things only in retrospect - if you get the meaning. I saw high ceiling, lights all over, arches galore ( I think ) people everywhere and a vastness of proportion which was not unpleasant. It was the " Topi Ud Gayi " kind of place that interests and overwhelms you at the same time. If airports can be thought to be masculine or feminine, then Dubai airport struck me as a feminine airport, in soft colors, decked up and scintillating. What ever my other impressions, my most fixed memory will be the driver singing ' dani dani dani daaaani '! He was a handsome guy with a high energy even at 2.30. I wish he had sung the next line. Maybe the next time I visit Dubai...

I always knew that this visit was going to be different from my earlier visits to this country. Older I get (sigh!), more I find myself shifting from iWANT to iHAVE. This doesn't apply to iPAD of course, but that is indulgence with a capital I.

When asked what I wanted to do during my visit, images rushed to my mind. It surprised me to find out that most were about food. Anderson's Pea soup, the corn bread and honey which I had for breakfast in Arizona, the square slices from the Round Table pizza, the baked garlic with bread and olive oil in Nepenthe...enchiladas stuffed which cheese with a side order of refried beans and fried rice...not to mention margaritas... boiled corn on cob with melting butter eaten at a camping trip..sourdough bread which is a part of american history...the list was unending. " You need to go on a strict diet" was my brother's detached summing up. Maybe so..maybe so.

“ This is for you ma’am, compliments of the store”. The attendant at the cash counter handed me a credit card. I pushed it away as if it was on fire. “ No thanks. I don’t use them much. And I have one already.”The attendant looked at me pityingly. I always have this horrid suspicion that attendant kids always pity me.Next twenty minutes were spent explaining to me, how , with the shop’s own ‘Privileged customer’ card and the additional credit card I was going to save thousands of rupees, not to mention earn brownie points and win free gifts like diamond earrings, DVD players, and a free trip to Goa.“ And ma’am, it’s free!” That clinched the matter. A free card can’t hurt me much, can it?

After reaching home I pushed the unwanted card at the back of my desk drawer, and forgot about it. One year was over. And I started receiving bills for the never used card. I questioned the shop, and reminded them that they had said – Free card, no service charges.“ Only for one year ma’am! Now you w…

I was in Goa two weeks ago. I had promised myself all sort of things. In reality, I just lazed.
I had carried four books with me for a five day vacation.

When actually there, I lazed in the room, by the pool, in the lobby, in my balcony. My friend was there on business and was on call most of the time, and I would lie on the beach on the deck chair all day long, and couldn't be roused to take any photographs, except this one. Getting the camera out of the case. sitting up on my deck chair, and shooting was just too much trouble. I allowed the sound of sea to fill my ears, the blue of sea in my eyes. No phone calls, except from my friend asking me where I was, and if I would be back for breakfast/ lunch/ tea/ dinner.

This idyllic state was short lived though. On day three the chair boy asked me, in what I considered a rather familiar fashion, if I needed sun lotion rubbed on me. I packed my book, hat, big bag and returned to the resort, and didn't go that way again. So I am…